Offer other types of investments

Hey, why not offer other types of investment e.g. FOREX, Commodities, and even Futures for the really adventurous!

I think the goal of freetrade is to be the platform for everyone, especially beginners. So exposing them to even riskier products is not planned as far as I know.
Forex, futures and commodities are also not investments. They are gambles since there is no inherent cash stream being produced.

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I get the point of the “beginner” investor but should we not be educating them through Freetrade’s great articles and this forum. Or would you rather they stay abeginner forever like an investing Peter Pan?

What’s the point in FT writing about FX and commodities in their reads if they don’t offer them.

Anything and everything should be available in my opinion. Personally I’d like to see preferred stock and bonds offered by FT

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Just because you read about something, it doesn’t mean you have to invest in them.

In fact, I find those reads very informative because they confirm to me that they’re not things I want to invest in.

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Ye but the option should be there for those that do. I personally wouldn’t touch commodities or FX myself. Just because I don’t use it doesn’t mean I don’t think someone else should…each to their own

I would like it if these features were added but stay hidden under an “advanced user” flag in the profile or something.

Maybe, they could give you a test to self-certify as a sophisticated investor, and then unlock these options for you. This way the users who want to can access these, but the users who don’t don’t have to. It also absolves responsibility from Freetrade in the case that someone feels feisty and performs a disastrous trade: “It’s on you mate, you said right here you’re a sophisticated investor”

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My (granted not very sophisticated) understanding is that a balanced investment portfolio will often include other types of investment. The share market has certainly proved historically secure over the long term (10 years plus), but an investor’s plans can still be thrown awry by the timing of a severe downturn. We are less resilient to these vagaries of timing with all our investments tied into just this one vehicle.

So my point actually is actually inspired by prudence. I would want to be able to move funds from shares to say commodities just like I see being reported in the financial press whenever there is a downturn in the stock market.

I can see commodities being useful, are they historically riskier than stocks? I’ve never invested in them personally - is there a gold ETF in the app?

I don’t think financial derivatives would be that beneficial of an addition, especially at this early stage. Freetrade is largely marketed at first time and more novice investors, i believe. I think it would really damage the brand if new investors started buying more complicated instruments like futures and losing their money, because they’re not well informed.

Sure they are riskier. They don’t have growth, only cycles.
But there is a gold and a silver etf already for people to add commodities. Imho, that should be enough for any investor (not trader or gambler).

I wouldn’t say growth is a good measurement of risk. Cash has no inherent growth and is low risk.

You can also have stocks with big potential growth, but are riskier than just buying gold. Just trying to give an alternative view.